In 2015, six men in their eighties swam across the Catalina Channel which separates Catalina Island from San Pedro, California. In doing so, they became the oldest swimmers to complete that twenty-seven mile swim.<\/p>\n
Obviously those six octogenarians were in excellent physical condition. You mom or dad might not be ready for a channel swim, but it is never too late to start up a good exercise regime. Even seniors in their eighties and nineties benefit greatly from exercise. And almost no one is too frail or out of shape to start exercising again.<\/p>\n
Start out slow<\/strong><\/p>\n You know that phrase \u201cno pain, no gain\u201d? It should be outlawed. When it comes to seniors and exercise, quitting before you\u2019re in pain is definitely the ticket. Pushing too hard results in pulled muscles and other injuries that can really make it difficult for seniors to go about tasks of daily living.<\/p>\n People who are very out of shape need to start out really slow and build up to moderate workouts. Many physical therapists will recommend exercises that can be done in bed or in a chair for seniors who have lost a lot of body strength.<\/p>\n Chair exercises<\/strong><\/p>\n There are many exercises that can be done while sitting in a chair. If a senior has developed very weak legs, just marching in place while sitting down can be good therapy. Marching in place involves raising one knee so that the foot comes off the floor, then putting that foot down and raising the other knee in a mirror fashion. The idea is to strengthen legs without risking a fall.<\/p>\n Chair yoga involves doing some yoga moves while sitting down. Yoga practitioners raise and lower arms, move legs in several ways, and use the chair as a support for stretches.<\/p>\n For seniors who are very debilitated, it\u2019s a good idea to provide a blanket and possibly some yoga blocks to allow resting of limbs in different positions. Some seniors may need to be secured to their chairs with a band or belt to prevent falling off. Senior care professionals can help your mother or father do chair exercises safely. These senior care aides will observe signs of fatigue and encourage your parent to take a break when one is needed.<\/p>\n